Thoughts on the Voigtlander 75 Nokton f1.2 ??

[Cayenne]

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Hi all,

Well, it certainly wasn't my original plan when I bought my M10M....but so far, I"m pretty much all voigtlander for rangefinder coupled lenses, and adapter vintage ones (and a new one or two).

So far for rangefinder lenses, I have the Voigtlander 35mm f/2 Ultron, and the 50mm F/2 APO Lanthar.

I really enjoy BOTH of these lenses.

So, now, looking for something a bit longer and for portraits.

 

With rangefinder of the Leica, from what I read and see on YT, 75 often is the preferred choice over the 90mm, as that it seems to be a bit easier to compose and focus at 75 than at 90...does that sound about right?

 

So, that leads me to my research, leading me to bang for the buck to the year or so old Voigtlander 75mm. F/1.5 Nokton.

 

This would be my fastest rangefinder coupled lens to date and from what I've seen, this thing can really shoot...blur background out in a painterly and smooth fashion.

 

Can someone out there that owns, has owned or used this lens give me some of your thoughts and impressions?

Any sample images you took with it and like?

 

 

 

As for adapted lenses, so far I"ve adapted the Helios 44-2 lens, I have the Canon EF mount adapter and use that with the Lomography Petzval and Lomogon lenses...and the Laowa 15mm 1:1 macro for some really interesting shots.

I currently have a speed booster coming so I can hook my Hasselblad V system lenses to the M10M....thinking that should be unique.

 

But those I have to use the Visioflex...and that's fun for planned shoots...but for just carrying around every day...I want the rangefinder coupled lenses...and 75mm is the focal length I have my sights on now.

 

 

Thank you in advance!!

cayenne

 

 

[farnz]

15 hours ago, Cayenne said:

As for adapted lenses, so far I"ve adapted the Helios 44-2 lens,

I've no experience of the Voigtlander 75 Nokton but since you've adapted a Helios 44 Mk2 that suggests that you're not averse to lenses with some character then you might like to consider a Helios-40, which is based on the legendary Carl Zeiss Jena 75/1.5 Biotar.  The price of the rare CZJ 75/1.5 Biotar has risen to a ridiculous level, hence the Helios-40 suggestion. 

Pete.

[astrostl]

1.2 or 1.5?

[adan]

Short version - "I will give up my 75mm Nokton f/1.5 when they pry it from my cold, dead, fingers."

Longer version - my most versatile lens. Low-light, subject separation, studio, portraits (although my portraits tend to be "action" portraits, not formal).

There are Leica 75s that are a bit better by any single measure - at least on paper. None combine all the features of the Nokton (weight of a 75 Summarit, beauty and speed comparable to a 75 Summilux, clarity of a 75 APO-Summicron at middle apertures) in one package.

I have used all of those extensively over the past decade - I would not now swap the Nokton f/1.5 for any of them, even straight up. And I've only had it four months.....

Cosina pulled out all the stops on this one.

All pictures at f/1.5 except the last (f/16)

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Edited March 7, 2021 by adan

[rpsawin]

On 3/6/2021 at 11:26 AM, astrostl said:

1.2 or 1.5?

I'm a bit confused as well. The three 75mm lenses I am aware of offered by CV are:

1.5 Nokton ASPH M

1.8 Heliar M

2.5 Color Heliar LTM

 

BTW...I own the CV 75mm 2.5 Color Heliar LTM and love it.

 

[BastianK]

VM 75mm 1.5 Nokton, one of Voigtlander's best lenses, and they have plenty of great lenses these days.

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On the Lookout by BastianK


The Green Door by BastianK


Rems by BastianK


Langkofel Group by BastianK

First two f/1.5 on Leica M10, 3rd f/1.5 on Sony A7rII, 4th f/8.0 on Sony A7rII.

[Cayenne]

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On 3/6/2021 at 10:26 AM, astrostl said:

1.2 or 1.5?

I"m sorry, I left that out....f/1.5 version is the one I have my eyes on.

 

Looks like it has some definite fans here on this thread and some amazing images!!!

 

So, I think my current savings for a new lens, will be going for the Nokton 75mm f/1.5....looks amazing so far from shots here and others online I"m finding.

Thank you!!

cayenne

[PaulGuy]

On 3/8/2021 at 2:39 AM, BastianK said:

VM 75mm 1.5 Nokton, one of Voigtlander's best lenses, and they have plenty of great lenses these days.

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On the Lookout by BastianK


The Green Door by BastianK


Rems by BastianK


Langkofel Group by BastianK

First two f/1.5 on Leica M10, 3rd f/1.5 on Sony A7rII, 4th f/8.0 on Sony A7rII.

The Green Door shot is sublime IMO.

[1joel1]

I got this lens nearly the day it was released. It has a Mandler-like quality like the 75 Summilux. 

Taken with the M9.

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[Martin B]

I just got my new CV 75/1.5 yesterday and took it out for first test shots in a nearby garden. Taken with Leica M-E 240 with 3-stop ND filter. All photos taken at f/1.5. Rangefinder focusing works well with wide open lens aperture but can take some time to hit it spot on. Great sharpness in the focus center and absolut fantastic bokeh.

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[Martin B]

Two little culprits became obvious to me when using this lens taking the photos above:

• The lens allows to focus a bit closer than 0.7 meters which is the rangefinder limitation. Easy to turn the focus ring a bit below the 0.7 m mark which will miss slightly the focus in the final image. Better set manually the focus mark to 0.7 m focus distance and then compose the image. 
• Weird lens hood reflection in rangefinder patch in sunlight at MFD: I have the silver version of this lens and lens hood. When taking some photos at MFD of 0.7 meters, the lower left corner of the rangefinder focus window showed a bright silver reflection in my M-E 240 camera which came from reflected sun on the lens hood. It was like a reverse viewfinder corner blockage just this time  within the focus patch window. I was still able to focus. By removing the silver lens hood, the issue disappeared. Also the issue isn't seen at longer focus distance than 0.7 meters. Anybody else ever experienced this phenomena? Maybe it is common with a bit larger silver hoods? 

[stohmax]

Bought the 75 VL 1.5 this week really great. Nice bokeh sharp enough at 1.5 

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[mdg1371]

My experience with this lens mirrors Adan’s, but my take away is the polar opposite. I think is it a superb compromise lens- it does many things well, but it does none of those individual things as well as the appropriate Leica lens. It lacks the “sharpness”  of the 75 Summicron and Noctilux and lacks the character of the 75 Summilux and Noctilux. 
 

I love the 75mm-ish focal length, and use the 7.3cm Hektor, 75 Noctilux, and the 75mm Summicron. I don’t think the Norton is a replacement for any of these, much less all of these, and thus sold it.

HOWEVER... it does what is does, very, very well.
 

 

 

[1joel1]

Funny, I thought that it mimicked my old 75mm Summilux quite well. Neither are terrible sharp wide open, but both have a wonderful look. 

Joel

[fededuran]

I've being on the fence for a while regarding this 75mm 1.5 nokton. I will use the lens on my M-A and will adapt it to my sony body, but I'm also impressed with the 75mm apo summicron. Maybe on digital the nokton rendering is more pleasing, but on film the extra punch of the apo could contribute to a greater outcome.  

[anickpick]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb fededuran:

I've being on the fence for a while regarding this 75mm 1.5 nokton. I will use the lens on my M-A and will adapt it to my sony body, but I'm also impressed with the 75mm apo summicron. Maybe on digital the nokton rendering is more pleasing, but on film the extra punch of the apo could contribute to a greater outcome.  

When you stop the Nokton down to f2, it is just as punchy as the Apo.

[DavidERuck]

For those of us who want to code the Nokton 75 1.5 Asph with our trusty little tools, what is the appropriate coding?

[a.noctilux]

50 minutes ago, DavidERuck said:

For those of us who want to code the Nokton 75 1.5 Asph with our trusty little tools, what is the appropriate coding?

Try 100011 , as Summilux-M 1.4/75, then see if it suits your need.